A recent Information & Technology Services (ITS) project has increased the internet capacity available to campus users. Fiber optic cable has been buried from the university campus to the Berrien Springs Intermediate School District offices, allowing a total of 20.5 megabits per second both inbound and outbound. Activated on January 4, this increase in capacity is approximately three times the previous total capacity of 7.5 megabits.

The project was funded without major increases in the annual university operating costs by replacing leased telecommunications lines with university-owned fiber optic cable. ITS personnel and contractors have installed this cable over the last two months. The return on investment of this project will be less than two years.

The increased Internet capacity should allow more rapid access of information via web browsers, email and downloads. The university has survived the past five years without increases to bandwidth/capacity by setting restrictions on some types of Internet usage. While some restrictions will still be necessary to prevent the demand for Internet capacity from immediately exceeding this new level, they will be set at higher levels.

Most of the cable installation occurred during the snowy days in early to mid December. We are very thankful for the efforts of those who accomplished this in spite of the harsh weather. Special appreciation goes to Dan Cress, ITS Director of Servers and Networks, who researched, planned and directed the project as well as his team including Bryan Clayton, Phil Roberts and Tim Wolfer, and subcontractors Kirby Guild and Ferguson Michiana Inc.